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91 Responses to “About the blog”

Mike – Please know the love, support and prayers of us all at Church Army. We have prayed for you both at office prayers each day this week. I will continue to hold you both before God and pray for His healing for you and Anthea. Love Mark

Praying for all of you that you will be comforted and strengthened; and that Anthea will be healed and able to take her place amongst you all again as wife, mum and grandma.
Praying too that you maintain the energy levels to get through this time, and in the weeks and months ahead.
Love

We love you both and lift Anthea and Mike to our Lord for healing and restoration and for Mike and family to sense the Lord’s peace, comfort, and strength through this difficult time of waiting on Him as He heals and guides those administering medical care for Anthea.

We and many of our family and friends continue to pray for and with you.

Darling people, we are praying for the Medics to have God-given wisdom at this crucial time. You are both adored by so many and everyone is rooting for you. Armfuls of love to you, Tim and Susannah Hills, Bristol

Our love and our prayers are with you all and we give thanks to our wonderful Lord for Anthea’s progress so far. All the Churches in Amersham are praying and many send you, Mike, and all the family their support and love at this time. Thank you for opening this ‘blog’ so that we can pray at special times for you all.
In Christ’s love, Ray and Celia

Mike and Anthea, Naomi Alistair and Annabelle; Charis; Nick; Alexa; Lella,
You are all much loved and treasured by all who know you; not least in the Amersham Deanery, where we prayed at Deanery Synod as news reached us on Monday evening.
In Chalfont St Peter we will remember you all in our Sunday services and throughout the coming weeks, as we have during this week. Love and grace have marked out your ministry… may the love and grace of our Lord sustain you through this present trial.

You are in our thoughts and prayers dear Mike and Anthea and family – through the wonders of technology I can e.mail David! and he and family are also praying for you all. It’s lovely to read of Anthea’s coming out of sedation – with our best love – Clare gw and family

You are in our thoughts and prayers here in Ireland, and it is great to hear that things are progressing well. We take every opportunity to mention you both in prayer. Your message today on the blog is a great encouragement and testimony to the grace of God

Dear Mike & Anthea,
You were in our prayers at Bristol HMP today at the service taken by the Trinity Students. We are all very much encouraged by the news of Anthea in the bulletins and thank God for answered prayer.

You are all in my prayers daily and I thank God for Anthea’s progress so far. It is wonderful that the skill of the medical staff, the love of family and the power of prayer can all work together for good.

Mike & Anthea,
You both are very much in my thoughts and prayers. It was announced in our Police Chaplain’s conference [in Derbyshire] and we took time to pray for you. God bless you and keep you.
Alex

Dear Mike & Anthea,
Listening to your video message Mike was so encouraging,and like you say ‘God’s grace is sufficient’.May he continue to bring healing to you and especially to Anthea, and guidance and wisdom for the doctors treating you both. Peace may not be easy at this time but our prayers and love are with you.
Richard W. and all at St. Edyth’s

Dear Anthea
You and Mike have been, and continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.
I am so glad that you are making progress.
It is good to be able to hear how you are via this site.
With love
Sarah (IRHH)

Dear Mike and Anthea, you continue to be in our thoughts and prayers… especially in the middle of the night! I am praying that God will restore you, Anthea, to full duster hockey playing strength.
With much love
Wendy and Chris.

Dear Bishop Mike … Holy Trinity Hotwells joins with so many others in praying for you and Anthea – Frances H. keeps us informed and told us about this blog ….praise God for the good ways in which we can use the internet! We ‘saw’ prayers swirling upwards like a snowstorm in reverse … may He keep you safe in the eye of the storm. xx

Dear Mike and Anthea – we heard about your accident and pray that the love of Jesus support and heal you. We live in S.Devon – Neil Barker’s Parish. Not met since Greenham days but have so admired all you do.
God bless from us both.

We have been praying for you both and your family and wish you a speedy recovery with God’s help and blessing. I pray God’s love and blessing will strengthen you. You and your family are in the thoughts of all at St Mary’s Lydiard Tregoze, Swindon.

As we enter this the 14th day after the accident, our prayers continue to be with all of you as you try to come to terms with what has happened yet return to normality and continue to beleive, Matthew 28: 20b. Surely I will be with you always to the very end of time.

We are heartfeltly praying for you all especially this lunch time as Anthea goes for surgery. You are both in our healing interecessions at Biddestone Church on Wednesdays and we will pass on the BLOG info. to them.
Junior Church is thrilled to have sent you a Get Well card.

This is a brilliant way to keep in touch without being intrusive, and think how to pray – as I come to work at my computer or wake in the night. Prayers for God to give you strength and patience in the ups and downs of the long haul. Love from Chris and Rob

God is good and His Spirit has been evident throughout these difficult times for you all as a family – we continue to pray that He will continue to provide all that you need in His gracious love and perfect timing.

Whilst we’ve never met I have heard much about you both. All of it good! I am a past member of the Lee Abbey Community, Devon. We have been asked to hold you in our prayers. This I gladly do. I pray for you all that you will be strengthened and blessed by God’s love in action at this difficult time. God bless and tread boldly.

Dear Mike and Anthea and family,
I am so glad to hear of the improvements to Anthea in today news on the ‘blog’. The Church I attend (Baptist), are praying for continued grace and strength for you all. God Bless you and the staff at the hospital, with widsom and guidance medically. We pray also for the family during these unsettling events, that the presence of God may be a constant source of comfort.
Love, I am sure from us here at the Diocese Church House.
Sincerely
Patricia Goddard.

Dear Mike and Anthea
I am in hospital as well at the moment also having physio daily and so my thoughts good wishes and prayers come from a fellow inmate! I do pray for you in the struggle which I know hospital can be at times and that you will know God to be as close to you as he has been to me
Take care

Dearest Annie,
We have been following your progress daily and with the love and support of Mike and the kids we know you will come and see us again soon. I have you in my thoughts all the time.We have a new grandson,(Nick and Lisa). Keep smiling my beloved old friend,
Much love
Suexxxxxxx and Richard

I had not caught up with your news for a few days and every day holds new challenges for you,and we will continue to pray for you all and God will never leave you. We are entrusted with doing his good works, and in order to carry out those commandments we trust in His never failing love. Many Blessings

Jan and I were watching Beth Moore last night and a scripture she used struck me so strongly and reminded us of all of you. It’s from Isaiah 43:2-3a, “When you pass through the rivers, they well not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God.” May you experience this to the fullest.
You all have shown such faith and steadfastness, giving our Lord the praise for sustaining you.
We rejoice in tears at Anthea’s progress and now her being up and moving on to therapy. Praise be to God. Praying daily for Anthea and Mike’s complete healing and your strength and faith to grow through God’s unfailing love for all of you. You all have been such a tremendous testimony to so many.

Chrissy and I have you both in our prayers, and remember the times when I, over the years have so much enjoyed the meetings (of mind) between us and your gorgeous family. We understand that you and particularly Anthea are not yet through this present situation but we do know that He is with you both, and also your gorgeous family.
Our love and prayers to you both.
From Mike and Chrissy
To our best man (our wedding)

PS Dawn – wishes to assure you of her prayers and thoughts at t5his time.

I was pleased to read today in the Evening Post that Anthea has taked her first steps. This is most wonderful news and reason to rejoice. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with you.
From all at St Gregory the Great, Horfield.

Just to let you know that plenty of your friends including ourselves at Woodlands Christian Centre in Bristol are continuing to pray for you both and the family. As a Church we do value our strong links with our Anglican friends and we pray God’s blessing on you all.
1 John 3 v 1. ‘How great is the love that God has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are.
Love,

I knew Andrea for a short while when I began working as a volunteer at the Charles Clore Unit in Newbury. Dorothy Hillier was also a volunteer and we both continue to work there. Our thoughts are with Andrea and her family.

Dear Mike, Anthea and family,
Just to say that I am still praying for you guys that God’s strenth and peace will cry you as a family. Anthea I am constantley amazed each time I go on the blog site of your progress you are an amazing lady! Oliver is doing a fantastic job at keeping us up to spead.
Lots of love,
Sheelagh
Proverbs 3 5-6

Dear Bishop Mike&Anthea.
Thanks be to God that you are now in your home.His promise is that He is your protector and He is always awake.He will guard you; He is by your side to protect you.We are always in prayer for you and the entire family.
Rev.Francis-Muhangi
Psalm 121:1-5

Have only just come across your blog. Met you some years ago at a Men’s Breakfast at St. Mary’s in Thame. Couple of “unchurched” people (hate that title) I was with there were mightily impressed – “he’s a good, ordinary bloke like you or me”! Moved to Bristol in 2003 at the same time as you. Part of the church community at St Aldhelm’s and with interests in the emerging church at Foundation. Am enjoying your blog (nice mix)! Best wishes to you and your family.

I am so very disappointed Mike that you have made no comment on your blog about the Abolition debate. Why was the Bishop of Bath and Wells at the discussion on Points West last Sunday? Why were you not representing Bristol?

Re the plight of people in Gloucestershire without drinking water – eg old people in sheltered housing featured on BBC1 tonight. In other parts of the world, the Church can be crucial in this sort of crisis – they can identify the most needy in the community and organise distribution.
We in Bristol are less than an hour’s drive away from this area and have plenty of water in shops and taps. Bishop Mike, could you get the dioceses together and ‘twin’ churches so we could share what we’ve got? (They are talking about 2 weeks for some people before drinking water will be available.) eg drive carloads to particularly needy places; meet halfway on motorway to deliver to church reps from the area; invite people to Bristol to use washing machines or have a shower?
If too late to set in motion now, perhaps set something up for the next flood/drought, assuming this won’t be the last.

I admire you Bishop Mike for speaking out on several issues – but WHY is the church always silent when it comes to grass root things like redundancy (Cadbury’s). I really do hope that the local priests in the area and yourself speak up for those who have lost their Jobs. It’s always very easy to speak up about things a long long way away but who speaks up for the working class?
Rev Uriah Thomas from Bristol’s highbury chapel was an outstanding example of a man who stood beside workers at the end of the 19th century.
Whilst I admire the fact that you speak out it would be good to hear some harsh condemnation and also the local priests leaving the golf course to join strikes and protesters.
It has to be said that for most of the second half of the 20th cent the good old C of E has been a bastion for the middle class conscience.
I think it is time for the good old C of E to walk the walk and meet people where they are at.

– – – – and whilst I’m on one. Wouldn’t it be nice to see more ministers out and about in the parish. Priests are like policemen – you used to see them in the parish but now you don’t.
Where I lived in Wales the Parish priest used to be the source of all local gossip (and usually spread it too).
I have never seen my local priest (small market town) shopping or cycling/walking. Is it any wonder that people are allienated from the church when the one source of contact isn’t there!
There is however one minister in St Andrews who can be seen on his bike out and about in the parish. This is an excellent form of mission and reassuring people of a Christian presencse here.
If only we could see more of them in shops and libraries. They are like the front men/women for the church and should be going out to meet people.
There is a complacency in the church of England that thinks people Want to come to the Church. However the truth I think isn’t so much that Tradional worship is inaccessible – but more that people have little experience of it.
Bishop Mike I think you should order your ministers out of their cars to explore their parishes – the places where people work and live!